A Versatile Apparatus for Two-Dimensional Atomtronic Quantum Simulation

We report on the implementation of a novel optical setup for generating high-resolution customizable potentials to address ultracold bosonic atoms in two dimensions. Two key features are developed for this purpose. The customizable potential is produced with a direct image of a spatial light modulator, conducted with an in-vacuum imaging system of high numerical aperture. Custom potentials are drawn over an area of 600 × 400 μm with a resolution of 0.9 μm. The second development is a two-dimensional planar trap for atoms with an aspect ratio of 900 and spatial extent of Rayleigh range 1.6 × 1.6 mm, providing near-ballistic in-planar movement. We characterize the setup and present a brief catalog of experiments to highlight the versatility of the system.